RAIPUR: It was Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day speech on appealing to shun single-use plastic that inspired the Raipur-based Surendra Bairagi to take it up as a genuine cause to safeguard the environment by encouraging the people to use cloth bags during shopping.
He got the PM's message turn as his personal mission and from August 15 onward his family — wife and a daughter got involved in it. They began distributing home-made cloth bags free of cost to people visiting the markets and bazaar.
“PM’s vision on abolishing plastic usage inspired us. But he alone can’t do everything. The onus now lies with all of us to create awareness against plastic bags and protect our earth”, said Bairagi, 49, who is working in a private firm in the Chhattisgarh capital.
The family uses the discarded clothes like bed-sheets, curtains, old uniforms-dresses etc to make the bags. “I also borrow such clothes which are of no use from my friends and relatives. My wife makes bags out of it. So there is very little expenses incurred in preparing such bags. All these we usually do during our leisure time throughout the week and on Sunday, which is an off-day for me, I visit markets to distribute homemade cloth bags”, he told the Express. He has only one daughter who is doing graduation and contributes in the noble aim
He recollected how we Indians during old days (earlier) used to carry cloth bags while going out for shopping.
“Reusable cloth bags for shopping don’t harm the environment and always remain the better option”, he affirmed.
So far Bairagi family has distributed around 500 cloth bags absolutely free.
Every bag that he gives away to a person is often accompanied with a strong message for them to switch to clean and plastic-free environment.
He asked the people not to expect a plastic bag from the shopkeepers. He doesn't even hesitate to take away the plastic bag from the customer and replace it with his cloth bag.
“I then return the same plastic bag to the shopkeeper advising him not to use it again”, he said.